After five years spent living on a barrier island on the Georgia coast, I became interested in the dynamic ecosystems that surrounded me, which led to pursuing my doctorate working with shorebirds.  I examined how a variety of habitat characteristics impact the nesting and fledging success of two species, the American Oystercatcher and Wilson’s Plovers.  Both species have variable and low rates of reproductive success, and I was interested in determining if there are common factors that could be used to predict success for these birds and ultimately help guide management of beaches.  I worked on three relatively undeveloped islands: Little St Simons, Little Cumberland and Cumberland Island.

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In late April 2018, I left my position as Lab and Research Coordinator for the Cooper and the Nibblelink Labs to move back to the Georgia Coast working for Manomet to advance an initiative to conserve Southeastern shorebirds.